Automatic golfing tee



July1 10, 1934. w. H. GARDNER Er AL AUTOMATIC GOLFING TEE original Filed May 1930 INVENTORS VV. f7? GARDNER. CYR/L M /PELTo/v BY Q Co. A TTORNEY S.

Patented July 10, 1934 UNITED ,STATES AUTOMATIC GOLFING TEE William H. Gardner and Cyril M. Relton, Seaside, Oreg.

Application May 31, 1930, Serial No. 458,49 Renewed March 26, 1934 Y 1 Claim.

Our invention relates to improvements in automatic golng tees, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of our invention is to provide an automatic golfing tee which is to be used in conjunction with the device set forth in our co-pending application on a golf practice device, Serial No. 445,433 iiled April 18, 1930. In said application we showed a mechanism for raising a plurality of golf balls one at a time into a position where they can be struck by the player. In the present invention we have simplified the mechanism for bringing one golf ball at a time into playing position, and this mechanism is accurate in operation and will not get out of order easily.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specication proceeds, and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the claim hereto annexed.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a top plan View of the device, a portion being broken away for clarity.

Figure 2 is a front elevation showing the trough for golf balls in section, and

Figure 3 is a side view of a portion of the device.

In carrying out our invention we provide a frame 1 that may be mounted in front of the device shown in our co-pending application. A tubular member 2 is secured to the front face 3 of the frame and is preferably rectangular in cross section. The entire tubular member is arcuate in shape as shown in Figure 2and has its center as at 4.

An arm 5 is pivoted to point 4 and has its free end bent into a platform 6 that carries a tee '7 for a golf ball 8. The tubular member 2 is slotted as at 9 for slidably receiving the arm 5.

The arm is swingable into its lowermost position for causing a golf ball to be received by the tee 7, and then the arm is movable back into its uppermost position as shown in Figure 2. Manuallycontrolled means is used for swinging the arm 5 downwardly, while spring means is used for returning the arm to normal position. Referring again to Figure 2, it will be seen that two foot pedals 9 and l0 are used, and both operate the same mechanism. The foot pedal 9 is used by a right-handed player, while the pedal l() is used by a left-handed player.

The pedal 9 actuates a bell crank lever 11, and this lever through a link 12 actuates a second lever -13 that is connected to the arm 5. A depressing the front wall 3 at the of the foot pedal 9 will swing the arm 5 downwardly. The foot pedal 10 operates directly upon the arm 5. The depressing of the arm causes a triangularly-shaped member 14 to swing about a pivot point 15 due to the fact that a link 16 con- 60; nects the arm 5 with the member 14. The moving of the member 14 actuates a golf ball releasing mechanism after the tee 7 has been lowered into a position to receive the next golf ball.

It will be seen from Figure 2 that a golf ball (35` chute 15 leads to the tubular member 2 and that an opening 16 in the tubular member permits a golf ball 8 to pass from the chute 15 into a position on top of the tee 'l (see Figure 3). The chute 15 is inclined so as to feed the golf balls 70l by gravity.

A stop member 17 is normally disposed in a position to partially cover the opening 16 (see Figure 2) and to prevent the passage of a golf ball into the tubular member 2. The stop 17 is 75 pivoted at 18 (see Figure 2) and is held in raised position by a spring 19. 'The stop 17 is connected to the member 14 by a rod 20 that is pivoted to the member 14 and is loosely received in a collar 21 in the stop 17. A pin 22 is carried by the rod 80 20 and contacts with the collar or sleeve 21 after the tee 7 has been lowered into proper position.

In order to prevent more than one golf ball 8 being delivered to the tube 2 at any one time, I provide an auxiliary stop mechanism shown in S51 Figure 3. This consists of a wire 23 bent in the manner shown and pivoted at 24. The wire extends at 25 and the projecting portion is receivable in a slot 26 in the stop 17. The opposite end of the wire is designed to enter an opening 27 90' (see Figure 3) and to prevent movement of they second golf ball in line during the time the stop 17 is lowered. A spring 28 moves the auxiliary stop 23 into raised position. The spring 19 isstrong enough to overcome the spring 28 when 9;, the parts are in normal position, and this will keep the auxiliary stop 23 down below the chute 15 and permit the rst one of the row of golf balls to contact with the stop 17.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood.

The player, stepping upon either of the foot pedals 9 or 10, will swing the arm downwardly as described. The tee 'l will come into a position to 105 receive the next golf ball S before the stop 1'7 will be swung into open position. As the stop 17 is swung into open position, the auxiliary stop 23 will move into a position shown by the dotted lines in Figure 3 and stop any movement of the second 110 golf ball 8 Which'is in line. The rst golf ball in the line will pass through the opening 16 and will come to rest on top of the tee 7.

The player novv frees the depressed foot pedal and a spring 29 (see Figure 2) will swing the arm 5 into its upright position, and this movement will cause the rod 20 to free the stop 17, and this stop will be returned by the spring 19. The return movement of the stop 17 will bring the bottom of the slot 25 into contact with the projecting portion 25 of the auxiliary stop, and further movement of the stop 17 will swing the auxiliary stop into J(he full-line position shown in Figure 3. The parts are now ready for the next operation,

We provide control means for the return movement of the parts. An air cylinder 30 receives a plunger 31 (see Figure 2) that is connected to the member 14. An escape valve indicated generally at 32 is controlled by a handle 33, and the player determines the opening of the valve and in this Way regulates the return movement of the arm 5.

Although We have shown and described one embodiment of our inventori, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of various changes, and We reserve the right to employ such changes as may come Within the scope of the claim hereto attached.

We claim:

In a golng device, a gravity chute for holding a line of golf balls, a stop for holding the end golf ball, a second stop for engaging with the second ball in line when the iirst stop is removed, means for urging the second stop into operative position, said iirst stop having a slot therein, an arm carried by the second stop and being receivable in the slot and operable upon contacting with the bottom of the slot to actuate the second stop, and means for moving the first stop for disengaging the arm from the bottom yof the slot, the closing of the rst stop acting on the second to positively open it.

WILLIAM H. GARDNER. CYRIL M. RELTON. 

